Seasons Change, and Apparently People Do Too
by Midori-Sensei
Summary: Natsuki shows up at Shizuru’s door, six years after the HiME festival, wanted to talk about old times. Unfortunately for her, Shizuru isn’t the same as she used to be. Future Shiznat. DISCONTINUED.
1. Not What I Wanted To Come Back To

Author Notes:

You'll notice a few things…off about Shizuru in this fic. For example: She no longer wears her infamous mask. See if you can pick out the other things that are a tad OOC about her.

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Chapter 1: Not What I Wanted To Come Back To

The lights were on in the house, telling the oncoming guest that the owner was home. Removing her helmet, cascades of dark blue hair fell down to the belt of her pants. A bead of sweat dripped from the crease of her forehead. She was nervous, that much was for sure. Cool air blew her hair to the left, contradicting the sweat particles. "Deep breath, Natsuki." She told herself, placing the helmet on the handlebars of the motorcycle.

"Here goes." Natsuki approached the front door if the small house. Her eyes gazed around, surprised that its owner wouldn't want more space. Instead of knocking, she rang the doorbell to her right. She balanced back and forth, shifting from heel to toe; a nervous habit of hers.

"Come in!"

She wasn't expecting that. How unlike her.

Not saying a word, she opened the cherry wooden door and poked her head in.

No one in sight.

That was also unlike her.

"Ara? The old man wants to go out for a drink?"

Gulping all anxiety back down, she followed the voice, which came from the kitchen. Her eyes stared at the owner of said voice, taking in everything about her.

'_Shizuru.'_

Shizuru laughed; a beautiful and genuine sound. A sound not heard by her hidden guest. She balanced the phone between her shoulder and the left side of her face. Both hands were preoccupied, cutting a variety of leaves and herbs.

"Normally I'd oblige, but I had a rough time with the kids today."

'_Kids?'_

The blunette looked around, seeing nothing that would imply that Shizuru had kids. No toys, no crayons, nothing of the sort.

Natsuki returned her gaze to the brunette, looking for differences. She was considerably taller. That was about all she could pick out.

Feeling eyes watching her, Shizuru looked up and nearly dropped her phone as crimson met anxious green. "N-Nao…I'll call you back later." Dropping her nickname for the girl she waited for a reply before hanging up. Using the island in the middle of the kitchen for support, she stared at her guest in utter disbelief.

"Natsuki?"

She had a reason to hesitate, the woman before her didn't look like the teenager from before. Her midnight blue hair was down to her lower back, as beautiful as ever. Her green eyes still held a defiant blaze in them, showing no change from when they last met. Maturity shone brightly on her face, giving her a look she could never achieve at seventeen.

'_Nao? Nao Yuuki? Why was she talking to her?'_

Before she could ask, Shizuru called out her name. "Yeah?" She answered nonchalantly, as if it wasn't a surprise that she would show up.

"What are you doing here?" Emotions swept across her face, something Natsuki wasn't used to seeing. Back then, Shizuru kept her feelings under control, only smiling. Now stress, worry, and surprise was evident on her face.

"I…" Her eyes darted to the ground, looking for an answer to give her. "I wanted to talk."

'_About what?' _The older woman almost blurted out rudely. Instead, she sighed and murmured a "Sit down."

Doing as she was told, the lone wolf sat at the bar near the island, watching the brunette scoop the remaining pieced of tea leaves in her palm, and dumping them into a fancy cup. She didn't even offer Natsuki any. The girl could sense blatant irritation and hurt coming from her old friend. Pouring boiling water into her tea cup, her red eyes looked up at her visitor, who was taller due to the bar stool. "What would Kuga-san like to talk about?"

That stung and Shizuru could tell. "Hey uh…" She stared at her hands, which were settled on her lap, her fingers fidgeting. "Remember back when I'd always come you for help? When we were HiME?"

This took the "tea sucker" as Nao would cal her, by surprise. "I do." Her answer was short and arrived late.

"You shared your computer when I really needed it. District 1 buisness, you know?" She mentally cursed herself after, realizing that it was a touchy subject. The person before her had risked everything to destroy District 1 for her. She repaid her by leaving.

There was a long silence immediately after. _'What is she getting at?' _Shizuru thought before saying,"Ara,Kuga-san knows how to make things awkward, doesn't she?". A tease that she wasn't serious about like before.

"Can you blame me?" She was slightly ticked off by the sudden tease, saying that her voice jumped up a few octaves. "I haven't seen you in six years!"

Fujino Shizuru's eyes narrowed, glaring at Natsuki coldly. "Yes, I can." She paused, cushioning her chin and cheek on her palm. "You disappeared from my life. Everyones lives. We mourned for you." Her red eyes seemed to glow in anger. "But you probably didn't care, saying that you just left without a word. I think that's a fair assessment, don't you think Na-tsu-ki?" Her voice no longer carried the loving tone Natuski was used to.

"Shizuru, I-" She tried to explain but was cut off.

"Oh my. That was rude of me…" The snake lover pulled one of her many signature moves, the index finger to her chin in a contemplative manner. "What to do…" She trailed off, her eyes searching around the room for a lost thought. Her eyes caught hold of the clock, staring at the time. _'Its quite late…' _"How would Kuga-san feel about staying the night?"

Once again, she surprised the blunette.

"Uh sure." _'I thought she was mad at me? Maybe she'll listen to what I have to say after all…' _Her thoughts were interrupted by Shizuru talking to herself in a soft tone.

"I think she's working late tonight…Itd be quite the predicament if she suddenly came home…"

'_Who?'_ "Who are you referring to, Shizuru?" She spoke up, startling the brunette before her, who stopped mid-sip of her tea. A smirk was her answer. Natsuki decided not to pry, the smirk told her to drop it.

End of Chapter 1.

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Omake:

Natsuki: Sh-shizuru, youre scaring me.

Shizuru: Ara if Natsuki is scared of me now, she'll be terrified in Sudd-chan's upcoming stories.

Natsuki: W-why, what are they about?

Shizuru: Oh, murder, rape, and an asylum. Nothing too bad.

Natsuki: -her soul escapes from her mouth-

Shizuru: -snaps a picture-


	2. Cat's Eye

Author Notes:

People liked this more than I thought they would. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Hope you like this one as well. B]

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Chapter 2: Cat's Eye

Awkward tension flooded in the room, sending uncomfortable shivers down the blunette's spine. Shizuru on the other hand seemed calm, sipping her tea as she frequently did. Every now and then, crimson would look up from the tea cup and meet emerald. Those eyes were telling the ones across from it that they were enjoying her squirming. Every time that would happen Natsuki would ask herself _'Is this really Shizuru?'_

"Ara," The silence finally broke. The once missing pup looked up in relief at what looked like a hungry snake. "Did Kuga-san just arrive here?" By here, she meant Fuuka. Unable to find words, Natsuki nodded once in reply. "From where?" The tone of her voice suggested that she didn't give a damn and was only speaking to save the younger girl from having a panic attack at the silence.

"America."

That wasn't the answer she thought she'd hear. _'Running far away, aren't we? From what, I wonder.' _Silence filled the room once more, but this time the guest spoke up. "So… You're friends with Nao now?" The brunette quirked an eyebrow. _'Whatever does she mean? I've been friends with the old man for five years. …Ara, that's right. She hasn't been here.' _She sipped the last bit of tea before answering her.

"We've been friends for five years." "O-oh… How is she uh, doing?" Green eyes fell to the ground, somewhat ashamed. "She must have had a long day at the University; she wanted to go out drinking." She spoke sadly, as though she was truly concerned about her friend. "She's never liked school as you know, but she wants to work at the Academy with me, so she's trying her best."

"You work at Fuuka Academy?" She was truly surprised. Natsuki thought that her old friend would own a top notch company by now or something along those lines.

"Yes." That was straightforward. No further information? To the blunette's surprise, she completely dropped their conversation by grabbing a telephone and dialing. _'What is with her? Maybe I shouldn't have came…'_

"Ara, old man! Sorry about that." _'Old man? Is that what she calls Nao?' _Natsuki laughed aloud at the nickname. It was ridiculous, but she could see how Shizuru got it. After all, the redhead was very much like a perverted old man with her man hunting schemes.

Shizuru hadn't taken that laugh well. She didn't like people messing with her friends. She made that very clear with the glare she gave the now stunned Natsuki.

"You'll never guess who paid me a visit today…" She smiled, looking up at the ceiling. _'Old man has the right mind to strangle Kuga-san in an instant. …they should meet.' _"Oh you'll see when we get there. Same place as usual? See you there." And with that, she hung up, a mischievous smile on her face. It was directed at the blunette before her, who resembled a deer in headlights.

"Come with me Kuga-san." As she left the kitchen, she beckoned the younger girl with her hand, heading towards the door. Grabbing her purse, she opened the door and closed it behind her, leaving an awed Natsuki still in her house. When the blunette snapped out of it she opened the door to hear an "Oops, forgot you were there." Of course she didn't.

Making her way to a dirty brown Jeep, which looked completely unlike Shizuru's tastes, she turned back to Natsuki. "Are you coming or not?"

Any more surprises and Natsuki was certain that she would suffer a heart attack. "Is this car yours?" She asked, getting into the passengers seat. She looked around the messy vehicle, answering her own question. _'Nope.' _Newspapers were scattered on the floor, followed by empty instant ramen bowls, a police radio, and… _'A GUN?!' _

"Of course it isn't." She smiled, knowing that Natsuki was now fully aware of that.

"So you don't live alone?" She looked at the brunette with a face that resembled like a confused puppy. Shizuru could already picture one dog ear flopping to the side while the other was upright on her head.

"How mean Natsuki, you that I would be single?" She pretended to cry as she pulled out of the driveway. "No! No, I didn't! I just wasn't sure! I'm sorry, please don't cry!"

A smirk graced Shizuru's lips as she saw that she still possessed a lot of control over the blunette. "You fell for it." She smiled over at the dumbstruck Natsuki. _'How could she still fool me?' _

The rest of the ride was silent, Shizuru's eyes never leaving the road, while the green eyed beauty's never leaving her. "So…" She broke the silence once more, nervousness present in her voice. "Who are you dating?" _'Please don't say Reito…' _

"Haru-chin." She answered the girl as if she'd know who the nickname would belong to. _'I shouldn't have worried about it being Reito. After all, the thought of Shizuru being straight is inconceivable…' _

The car came to an abrupt stop, almost flinging the younger of the two out of her seat. After recovering, she looked up at a restaurant. _'How do they plan to drink at a restaurant?' _Green eyes made their way up to the blinking sign that read 'Cat's Eye'. _'Catchy.' _

Once they opened the door, they were greeted by a very familiar face. "SHI-CHAAAN~!" Both looked up in reply, one smiling warmly, the other confused. A pair of arms found their way around Shizuru's waist and proceeded to spin the both of them around in circles.

Laughing, the two completely left out Natsuki. "Mikoto, is the Old Man here?" "Mmm!" The spiky haired girl nodded, a big grin on her face. Hearing her name, Natsuki began to really look at the little girl she once knew.

She was tall, almost the same height as Shizuru. Her hair was the same and her bright gold eyes shined with the same youth she held before. Unable to help it, the blunette's eyes fell upon the once flat-chested girl's breasts. They were surprisingly huge. Natsuki blinked several times before prying her eyes away. _'That's so freaky...' _

"Natsuki?" Mikoto's attention was now on her. "Hey Mikoto." She waved a little, an awkward feeling coming up again. Not exactly being good friends with her in the first place, she didn't see any problems with her return. Her eyes grew dark when she remembered Mai's crying at her disappearance though. "Nice to see you." When she smiled at her, Natsuki realized that they were the same height.

"Yeah, you too." "Are you here to have fun with Shi-chan and Na-chan? That doesn't sound like a good idea." Feeling an elbow nudging her in the side, the cat girl looked up at Shizuru. "I think it's a great idea."

"Okay! I'll get Mai then!" She nodded twice, humming a bit before rushing off to the kitchen.

"Mai works here?" Natsuki asked once she was out of sight. "Hmm? No, she owns it." Their brief conversation was soon ended by a shout from the bar side of the restaurant. "HEY AUTO! I SHEE YOU OVER THERE!" The voice slurred before its owner came towards them.

She was holding a bottle of booze and swaying slightly. "Ara, you're supposed to wait for me." Shizuru scolded, a playful tone in her voice. The person she was scolding was a tall redhead with lime green eyes. "Ah, Auto, I've had such a long day." Nao whined, throwing her arm on Shizuru's shoulder. "I figured you did. How was the test?" "I didn't take it."

The two bickered for what seemed like hours before Natsuki interrupted with a cough. Bright green eyes fell on her, looking up, down, and in completely different directions. "You, come here, let me look at you." Shizuru pushed Natsuki forward, almost throwing her at the younger girl.

Nao gasped loudly. "I know you!"

Before Natsuki could answer, a fist came in her direction.

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Author Notes:

Is it just me or does Shizuru seem to want revenge of some sort?


	3. I Should Tell You Part 1

Author Notes:

If you're confused:

Shizuru isn't really so cruel. She's just hurt. This did happen after the festival after all and Natsuki left the next day. She's just expressing angry emotions to deal with the sudden pain of her return.

Remember, this is a Shiznat, so it will get better. (In this chapter, actually)

For those who arent confused:

BD Arent you smart.

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Natsuki caught the punch with so much ease, it was almost laughable. Pushing Nao backwards with, she smirked at her. Did she really underestimate her that much? Of all people, Natsuki expected her to get physical. She mentally frowned, remembering her reasons for leaving and why everyone was so upset with her. Emerald eyes immediately looked up, longing for ruby.

To her surprise, they were already watching, a flicker of relief in them. Perhaps she hadn't actually wanted her to get hurt? "I need to talk to you." Sensing how serious the blunette was, Shizuru nodded slowly. "We should take her back to the dorms first." Looking at her redhead friend once more she agreed. She looked like a train wreck.

"I'll carry her to the jeep." Picking up Nao bridal style, she reached the door before looking back. "I'll be with you in a minute, Natsuki; I need to talk to Mai."

'_Natsuki? When were formalities dropped?' _"Okay Shizuru."

Once she arrived at the car, she dropped Nao in the backseat, landing her on the not so neat pile of papers. "Ugh…" Running a hand through her short red locks, she looked up at Natsuki, her face purple. The blunette's eyebrow twitched angrily. "Puke in this car and I'll kill you."

"Shut it, mutt. It's Haruka's car, not yours." Dark green eyes looked down at the pavement as she contemplated. "Yeah, I know." Nao looked up at Natsuki with surprise. "How do you know that? Did she tell you?" The older of the two shook her head in reply. "Then how..?"

"This isn't the first time I've seen her since I left." She muttered, her voice low and husky as usual. "Ahh…" Nao hugged the driver's chair, thinking it was her. "You love her." A goofy grin was on her face, a sign that she had far more than one glass.

Natsuki's face was taken over by scarlet; the blood moving directly to her cheeks. "I don't have to explain myself to you." Defiant grumbles were heard as she looked elsewhere.

"Sorry." Shizuru apologized as she sat in the driver's seat, removing Nao's arms. "Yeah its okay." Turning to look at her, the brunette noticed that Natsuki's face was red. She looked back at the now sleeping Nao to see if she may have attempted molestation. "Are you alright, Natsuki?"

The blunette nodded once, and looked out the window. "Let's just drop her off and head back."

Deep down, Shizuru felt like she should say something more, but decided against it. A nice drive of silence would go nicely before a long discussion. She nodded, agreeing with her thoughts and headed towards the University campus.

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v

Natsuki had a very testy character. When she decided to do something, she had to have it done right away. She scowled when they pulled up to the driveway. It had taken too long to get there. Opening the passenger door, she exited the vehicle and headed straight for the front door. _'I'm tired of waiting. I just want to explain myself.'_

"Impatient, are we?" Shizuru teased as she rummaged through the several keys on her keychain. "Hmph." Was heard through her marine locks. The teacher shrugged and opened the door with ease. She held it open for her guest to enter first. Seeing the seriousness in Natsuki's tone earlier had caused Shizuru to open her eyes. That was her friend. She shouldn't take everything out on her. Sure she was still upset, and that was something she was going to let Natsuki know. There is always a consequence for your actions.

Once Natsuki was situated on the sofa, she turned towards Shizuru and patted the empty space next to her. Getting the hint, the brunette made her way to her and sat down.

"Shizuru, there are some things I need to tell you." Shizuru nodded once in reply.

"For starters, this isn't the first time I've seen you since the festival."

'_What?' _Ruby eyes widened. _'If you saw me, why didn't you talk to me?' _

"Actually, I've seen you once a year since then. I just… I never said anything. You looked perfectly happy without me." She shrugged nervously, waiting for Shizuru's response. When none came, she continued. "First year, you were still very upset; I couldn't find the nerve to talk to you. What right did I have?" Viridian eyes darted to the ground.

"Next year, you had friends. You were okay, you had moved on. I didn't see Nao, so of course I was surprised, but you, Mai, and Mikoto were having a picnic."

Shizuru remembered that day like it was yesterday. She lifted her head when Natsuki spoke more. The girl next to her laughed sadly, it was a painful memory she was reliving. "I was even there for your graduation at the University." Her index finger and her thumb played with a strand of her hand as she kept her eyes on the floor. "You and Haruka kissed. She was accepted into the Police Academy." Her voice went down to a whisper. "I stopped visiting after that."

"Natsuki…" Shizuru reached out to touch her but recoiled back. They weren't as close as they used to be. She couldn't invade Natsuki's bubble.

"Got any spare clothes?" The blunette asked as she stood up. Shizuru blinked. _'What does that have to do with anything?' _"Ara, yes I do." "If you don't mind, I'm going to take a shower now. You should leave the clothes in front of the door."

She quickly walked to the hallway, knowing that she would be able to pick out which was the restroom. Shizuru frowned as she walked away; she wasn't sure when they would talk again. Remembering their conversation, she sighed loudly. _'I can't believe it. I've been nothing but cruel to her, thinking she left without a care. But she did care. She wanted that connection again.' _"I need a cup of tea…" _'Then why did she leave in the first place?' _

As Shizuru prepared her tea, Natsuki was already bathing in the shower. Everything smelled like Shizuru. The blunette traced a finger down the shower wall as she thought. _'Well there we go. She knows the first half of it. I don't think I can bring myself to admit why I left or why I'm back. She deserves an explanation, but I don't think I can give it to her.' _

She began to pour shower soup onto what she hoped was Shizuru's washcloth. It probably was, since it was purple. Not paying attention, the first glob of gel fell to the already soapy floor, taking its sweet time sliding towards the drain. "Damn.." Deciding not to waste it, she bent down to rub it onto the washcloth when she slipped on it and fell back, ramming the back of her head into the shower wall.

Shizuru immediately forgot about her tea and ran towards the bathroom. Thankful that Natsuki didn't lock the door; she barged in and pulled back the curtain. "Sh-Shizuru! W-what are you doing!?" The naked woman flailed, one hand rubbing the back of her head. She stopped when the brunette leaned her head in under the shower streams, her face getting close to hers. To her surprise, she only kissed the top of the blunette's hair. "All better?" She smiled, crimson eyes dripping with water from the faucet. Natsuki nodded quickly, a blush on her face. Without another word, Shizuru strolled out, not even taking a peak. She closed the door behind her with a soft slam.

Natsuki blinked a few times. _'What was that?' _

When she was finished, after being very careful about the shower gel, she opened the door; a towel around her. "Shizuru! I need clothes!"

"I already have them, Natsuki." The gun wielder looked from side to side. No sign of her. Then where was the voice coming from? She suddenly felt a tug on the end of her towel, which caused her to jump back. "Sh-Shizuru!"

Shizuru sat on the floor, clothes and knees against her chest. "Yes, Natsuki?" "N-nothing, just give me the clothes." The old queen of the campus handed them over without hesitation.

The door beside her slammed shut, a sight of red flashed before the door closed.

When it opened again, Natsuki stood at the doorway, her face red again. "Shizuru, why don't I have any pants?"

"Why do you I wonder…" This didn't help the girl's blush. "Seriously, why don't I have any?" She huffed at her, arms crossed under her chest. She was thankful that the shirt she was given didn't show her frilly underwear.

"Sorry Natsuki, I don't have any pajama pants." "I-I see." Careful not to have the shirt show anything, she bent down to sit next to her.

"Natsuki."

"Yeah?"

"Does Natsuki remember when there was a panty thief at Fuuka?" Judging by the color Natsuki's face soon took; she remembered all right. "I don't think I can ever forget when Natsuki barged into the Student Council room telling me she didn't have any ah… undergarments on." Shizuru's face lit up as the memory cam back to her.

"I just wanted to borrow a bra!" Natsuki growled at her, trying her best to hide her embarrassment. She remembered how Mai had only given her shorts.

"Ara, did Natsuki wanted me to remove mine for her?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. "W-we aren't talking about this anymore!" _'We weren't supposed to in the first place!' _

The color of Natsuki's face reminded Shizuru of Rudolph's nose as she stared at the girl intently.

'_Natsuki, why did you leave?' _

END OF CHAPTER 3.


	4. Distracting Yourself From The Inevitable

Author Notes:

Hey all!

Sorry for being so late, school started and I'm already busy with work.

If I don't have any homework tomorrow, I can guarantee that I'll have Rush of Blood updated for yall.

-looks for red ink-

…Lets see, where'd I putcha?

Ah there!

-slams a stamp into it, then stamps the fanfic-

BD

"Teacher Approved"

Enjoy!

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Chapter 4: Distracting Yourself From The Inevitable

Things were officially awkward now, anyone with eyes could see that much. But then again, it's been awkward since Natsuki arrived. Now of course she alone knew why she came to visit, but she was in no mood to tell at the moment. Shizuru had spoiled the moment with her teasing, as usual.

Red-faced, the flustered lone wolf looked off into the distance, trying her best to maintain her cool attitude. Shizuru of course, had noticed her attempt at brushing everything off, and in truth, she found it just as amusing as it used to be.

"You haven't changed at all, have you?" Shizuru mused a loud, forgetting that the girl was there with her.

"Well that's rude. Wish I could say the same for you." The blunette scoffed, remembering how she was treated earlier that night.

Ruby eyes portrayed just how hurt she was by her statement as she gazed at the green pools before her. A flash of anger, sadness, and regret swept across her face quickly before one emotion took over.

"Natsuki, I don't want to talk about any of that right now." Emotional exhaustion. "For now Natsuki, can we just act as though you never left?" _'The one thing I have ever wished for…'_

Realization hit her quickly, and she nodded slowly at the broken brunette. "Of course, Shizuru." A weak smile spread across her face as she tried to be strong for the both of them.

"Ara, does Natsuki miss Duran? I certainly miss my Kiyohime." She was quick to embrace a new topic, though a twinge of regret wormed its way into her heart. Talking of CHILDS, only gave them pain, but she preferred to think of the good things they had brought: like dying in Natsuki's arms.

The single most wonderful moment in all of her life.

Though others who died due to the HiME battles would say that it was a painful experience, Shizuru always looked back on it with a smile on her face. The feeling of Natsuki's strong arms around her, the sound of her heart beating fast as she knew of their death, and hearing her breath hitch when she rested her head on the girl were all too good to forget.

Natsuki laughed, remembering her loyal mechanical wolf. "Yeah, I do. Besides you, he was always there for me. Wish I could've done more for him, though."

Shizuru nodded in understanding as she heard the blunette speak of her companion. Though Kiyohime was hardly ever summoned, she did appreciate how the serpent/octopus would act according to her emotions without hesitation. _'That was true commitment. I thank you for that.'_

"Sad that they had to leave, huh?"

"Yes, but I believe that it is better that way. If they were to still exist, then we would still be caught up with Orphans and HiME affairs." Shizuru spoke slowly, meaning every word that escaped her lips.

"Yeah." Natsuki nodded before turning to Shizuru. "You're right."

But what Natsuki found the hardest was finding something to do with her life. She had lived only to destroy District One. All she ever was was a HiME. And then suddenly one day, she wasn't anymore. What was she expected to do? Unlike everyone else, she didn't have a life outside of being a HiME.

But she had to admit: she found herself in America.

She quickly shook her head, remembering to think of the good times.

"Hey Shizuru, got any mayonnaise here?"

"Ara, Natsuki should know that I would never eat such a thing."

Natsuki's face was nothing short of shocked. How could anyone say that about her favorite dish? She saw no flaw in the goodness that was mayo.

Shizuru had to laugh at Natsuki's expression: it was simply priceless. A hand covering her mouth, she tried to control the laughter; not wanting to embarrass Natsuki.

Eyebrow twitching, the lingerie owner growled at the teacher. "What're you laughin at, Shizuru?"

"Ara, laughing? Whatever are you talking about Natsuki?" Wiping away a tear, she quickly composed herself, a smile still on her face.

"Whatever, let's go get some mayonnaise. I cant survive the night without some."

"Natsuki is forgetting that she isn't wearing any pants. How does she expect to go to the grocery store half naked?"

Natsuki's face turned red, reminding Shizuru of a skittles bag. _'My, I could point out several items that Natsuki resembles right now.' _

"T-than you go! You know more about Fuuka than I do." It was true; so much has change since she had left. She even got lost finding Shizuru's address.

"I suppose I could always use some more tea and sugar cubes…" Shizuru spoke a loud, seeing if there was anything else she needed at the store.

"Natsuki should just borrow some pajama pants, I'm going to need some help."

"W-what? I thought you said you didn't have any pajama pants?!"

"Ara? I lied." She said with a bright smile, as though that bit of information was obvious.

"SHI-ZU-RU!" The biker stomped about, completely pissed and embarrassed about what her old friend had said.

Covering her ears, she realized that Natsuki reminded her of Haruka. She smiled fondly, wondering what her girlfriend's reaction to Natsuki's visit would be.

__________What would happen if Haruka were to show up (In Shizuru's mind)________________

"HEY, WHATS THIS DELINQUENT DOING HER, SHIZURU?! ISNT SHE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD OR SOMETHING?"

"Who're you calling delinquent, loudmouth?"

"ICE PRINCESS!"

"LOUD SPEAKER!"

"PSYCHIATRIC-"

"Ara, I think you're thinking of psychotic, Haru-chin."

____________________END__________________________

That was defidently a situation she didn't want to run into. Yes, she had feelings for Haruka, even though she had her doubts about Yukino working with her, but she still held feelings for Natsuki. Picking between the two would be difficult beyond belief.

"OI, SHIZURU! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?" The blunette shouted her out of her uncomfortable daydream, forcing her back into reality.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Natsuki I wasn't listening."

One of the many things Shizuru had begun to do since dropping her mask is blatantly telling how she felt or what she was doing. She really enjoyed the person she had become. More than anything, she felt that it was her real self. Sure, it took painful experiences to make her abandon her mask, but perhaps it was worth it.

"Tch, figures. I said that I'll just put on my rider suit. But I demand to have those pants when we get back!" She locked eyes with the older girl, making sure her words got across.

"Only if Natsuki can find them~" She teased, making the girl huff in response.

"I'll grab the suit, get dressed, and we can go."

"Can I watch?"

"Watch what?"

The only answer she got was a god awful smirk filled with perverted intentions. She would bet money on that.

Emeralds widening, she quickly shook her head and headed to the front door. The suit was in a compartment on her Ducati.

"Looks like I was rejected." She frowned playfully before walking off to her room to make a much needed phone call.

Her fingers ran across the numbers on the phone quickly. She waited patiently, awaiting Haruka, or Yukino's voice. Hopefully it was Haruka. Yukino still bore very…

Shizuru placed a finger on her chin as she thought of the right word. _'Spiteful? Resentful? Most likely a mixture of the two.' _

…feelings towards her. She did kill Haruka and somehow win her in the end, after all. Who wouldn't be pissed?

Pink lips smiled as she recalled the moment when Haruka asked her out. She was stuttering like a fool, her voice still as booming as usual.

Perhaps Shizuru was just using her to forget Natsuki at the time. No, she was positive that that was the case. But over time, she began to grow enough feelings for her to have her move in.

But deep down, she knew that her "love" for Haruka could never come close to what she felt, maybe still feels, for Natsuki. Never.

"THIS IS OFFICER SUZUSHIRO HARUKA FROM THE FUUKA POLICE DEPARTURE! HOW CAN I HELP YOU?" Even though she was loud, Shizuru could spot exhaustion in her voice.

"Ara, if Haru-chin keeps messing up her words, the Police Department may not let her answer the phone anymore." Shizuru teased, along with a wink.

"Sh-Shizuru! Is there anything wrong? I'll send a crew over immediately!" Her first thought, as usual when Shizuru called, was panic.

"No, no, I'm quite alright." She ensured her, not wanting to cause her more stress than she was already in.

"Then what's up?" Back at the office, she had her feet up on a few stacks of papers on her desk as Yukino piled on more.

"We have a guest spending the night." She picked her words out carefully, not wanting to anger her or cause suspicion so early. She knew Haruka, and that she was very prone to both reactions.

"Who?" The answer came quick.

"Ara, does Haru-chin remember Natsuki Kuga?"

There was silence for a while as Haruka contemplated her answer, actually taking the time to think things out for once.

"THAT DELINQUINT?! ISNT SHE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD OR SOMETHING?" Haruka had of course, blamed Natsuki for her death. If Natsuki wasn't playing around with Shizuru, even though it was the other way around, than Shizuru wouldn't have gone bat shit crazy and killed her.

"That's what we thought. But here she is. She needs a place to stay. Can't she stay here? Please?"

Haruka could almost see the puppy look on her face now. "Yeah, sure… I want her gone by the time I get there though. I'll be back around lunch, okay?" She grumbled, not wanting to talk about Shizuru's old crush anymore. She was obviously jealous.

"Of course. I'll make you something nice, okay Haru-chin?"

"Y-yeah. Call me if you need me." Her boss suddenly shouted at her for holding up important calls.

"Have a nice night."

"Love you."

"…Love you too." _'Do I?'_

The conversation ended with a click and the sound of a long beeping.

"Yuuukiinooo~ I need a coffee break. Come along." Smiling warmly at the brunette she left the room, expecting the sound of shuffling feet behind her. She soon heard it.

"Yes, Haruka.." She frowned, not liking the sound of the conversation on the phone from earlier. It pained her so much to hear Haruka talking to Shizuru. How could she pick the old Kaicho, her murderer, above her best friend who has always been by her side? She quickly stopped herself from thinking on further. She didn't want to start crying again.

"Come on, Shizuru."

Natsuki's voice snapped her out of her thoughts once more, causing her to look at the blunette in surprise.

"Ara, of course Natsuki." _'How long has she been there?'_

Natsuki quickly left the room and headed towards the front door once more. _'Love…'_

"Let's take my motorcycle, okay?" She suddenly spoke, needing to think about something else.

"If that's what Natsuki wants." She smiled at her, causing her to momentarily flush.

'_I miss that color.' _

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^

Holding Natsuki's waist a little too tightly, Shizuru felt her breath hitch. It had been six years since she had ridden a motorcycle, and usually whenever she saw one it would bring her instant pain. But now here she was, holding Natsuki, aching for protection, warmth, and something else. _'I've longed for this Natsuki, for so so long. I loved you so much. My heart sang for you, my hands were always reaching for you. I wanted you with every fiber of my being; my soul even. You must have known. Why would you leave me after accepting me? That was so painful.' _Unable to hold it in any longer, she just buried her face into Natsuki's shoulder and cried. Silent cries, but cries nonetheless. She quietly wondered if Natsuki knew what was going on.

She did.

'_Did I do something wrong again? You of all people don't deserve to cry. Please, hold on a little longer. I want us to feel normal again. If only for a bit. I er…I love you. Is that so hard to say? Did it really take years to understand?' _"Distance makes the heart grow fonder." She muttered under her breath, knowing that no other phrase could describe how she felt. _'I can only hope that the same applies to you.' _

"We're here." Natsuki announced before giving the grieving woman time to compose herself. What was behind her was Shizuru showing raw emotion. There was only three times she had seen her show such feelings.

When she admitted her love for her. It was such a complicated thing to grasp. But she knew she meant it.

When they died together. Enough said.

Natsuki's heart broke to see it, but when Shizuru apologized for everything she did, crying helplessly.

She quickly turned to the teacher and ran a hand through her silky hair. "I'm sorry."

They stayed in silence for a long moment before Shizuru briskly got up and walked towards the sliding doors. "If Natsuki doesn't hurry, I'll change my mind on buying her mayo."

"I'm the reason we're here in the first place, damnit!"

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^

The cart was steadily becoming full, with the most useless of things too. The two almost felt like a couple restocking their house supplies. Buying what the other deemed worthy and picking out different foods together.

Shizuru ended up buying one of every flavor of tea they owned, unable to decide on just a few. Natsuki quickly filled the top section that was reserved for young children with mayonnaise of all different sizes.

The two picked out things from kitchen supplies to freezer food. Agreeing on rice, picking out candy, buying juice. They did all that and more. Neither could believe they were buying so much, or how enjoyable grocery shopping was. The most boring of things can be fun with the right person.

Buying everything with cash, why she had that much on person Natsuki would never know, the blunette carried all of the bags out until they realized their problem. How on earth would they deliver so much to her house on a motorcycle.

"I'll call you a cab, okay?" Natsuki quickly solved the problem and began dialing on her cell phone.

In a few minutes, the yellow car was there. Waving their goodbyes for now, they headed off to the same direction, seeing who'd get there first.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Author Notes:

Thanks for reading, I plan to finish this at maybe chapter 10? It's going by a little slow right now, but they're just trying to sort out their feelings.

Hope this satisfies you all for the time being.

Oh, and sorry for the angst, I didnt originally plan it to be like this XD;

Now off to study!

-grabs a cram school headband and a mechanical pencil-

Until next time!


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